Both are FCA regulated and FSCS protected. The real differences are fees, investment range and how each platform feels to use. Here is the honest comparison.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Investors who want funds and shares on one platform without paying Hargreaves Lansdown prices.
Index fund investors who want the lowest possible total cost and are comfortable with a newer app.
| Fee | AJ Bell | Prosper |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | 0.25% on funds up to £250k (tiered lower above); shares capped at £3.50/month in an ISA and £10/month in a SIPP | £0 |
| Share dealing | £5.00 per trade | Not applicable (funds and ETFs) |
| Fund dealing | £1.50 per trade | Free |
| FX fee | 0.75% on the first £10k, tiered lower above | None on GBP fund classes |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge | Free |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies, capped at £120/year for shares | Free |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £25/month or £500 lump sum | No minimum |
Reviewers repeatedly mention that the platform is easy to use and communication is clear. AJ Bell has been Which? Recommended for eight years running.
Occasional gripes about transfer times and the dealing charge compared with app-only rivals.
Read AJ Bell reviews on TrustpilotEarly adopters praise the zero fees and responsive founding team; roughly 84% of reviews are five stars.
The review base is small and some users want more account types and a web version.
Read Prosper reviews on TrustpilotAJ Bell sits in the sweet spot between cheap app-only brokers and expensive full-service platforms. You get funds, shares, ETFs, a well-regarded SIPP and a Lifetime ISA, with caps that keep costs sensible for share investors.
It suits people who want one account for everything, particularly ETF investors who benefit from the £3.50 monthly cap in an ISA. Fund-heavy portfolios above six figures should compare the 0.25% fee against a flat-fee platform like Interactive Investor.
Prosper's pitch is the cheapest total cost of ownership in the UK: no platform fee, no dealing fees, and refunded fund fees on a list of mainstream index funds. For a straightforward global tracker in an ISA or SIPP, the all-in cost can genuinely be zero.
The counterweight is maturity. It is a young platform with a small (if very positive) review base and no individual shares. If that trade-off suits you, the price is unbeatable.
A 0.2% fee difference is worth optimising. Knowing whether you are saving enough in the first place is worth far more. Delphina models your pensions, ISAs and investments and tells you where you actually stand.